for Women Growing Wiser

Writing to Savor

We savor experiences by noticing their details and remaining with them in a meditative way. Savoring takes us a step beyond attentiveness. We notice the detail but then stay there with it, allowing it to do its good work in us.

Prepare to Write

Set a time to do this writing. Plan a half hour sometime today and put it on your schedule as an appointment you must keep.

Choose a place to write. It should be free of distractions; you know the conditions that work best for you, whether a home office or the corner of a bedroom or a table tucked away in a local coffee shop.

Make the space conducive to writing. Disconnect from the Internet; turn off your phone. Get rid of clutter, such as books, calendars, or projects. Enhance the environment with what helps you: background music, a lit candle, an image or object that calms or inspires you.

Give yourself five minutes to settle in and get ready to write. Sip your coffee or tea, if that helps. It’s probably better not to have food around because eating can become a distraction. Find a good position for sitting. Close your eyes or find a visual point of focus. Take several deep breaths.

Consecrate the time, space, and your efforts. Accept this writing time as God’s gift to you. Offer your time, energy, and work back to God. Ask the Holy Spirit to clear the way for writing that will benefit you. Expect good work to happen.

Do the Work

Most of the time, it’s best to write quickly and not think too much about what you’re writing. This allows the flow of material to come forth. Choose one or both of the following exercises.

Exercise #1

Review today’s events, and also what happened during the past week, to recall a particular time—a few moments, or an hour-long conversation or engagement—that was particularly positive for you, that was satisfying, joyful, restful, stimulating, inspiring . . .

Write a paragraph about that time. What happened? How did you feel? What meaning, if any, do you take from this event or moment? Write just a paragraph of five to twenty sentences.

Read over what you have written and choose the phrase or sentence that stands out the most. Then write that phrase or sentence at the top of a clean page, and use it as a prompt to write a new paragraph.

If you’re so inclined, go through the same process again with this new paragraph. This kind of writing can help you enter more deeply into an experience, better to savor it. It can help you focus on what was most important or the most meaningful for you.

Exercise #2

When you notice that you are having a good experience, make a mental note of it. This experience could be a few moments watching the sun come up, or it could be an encouraging conversation with a friend, or it could be the moment you realize that you’ve done a good job at something.

If you can’t stop while this experience is happening and write about it, jot down a few words to bring the memory back later.

But if you can, pause and write down how you feel right now. Describe the physical situation: weather, colors, room or landscape, aromas, textures, sounds, tastes. Allow your positive emotions to take the writing where it will. Try to spend five or ten minutes writing your response to this experience while it’s happening or shortly afterward.

Reflect on the Work

Read what you have written during this time.

Highlight or underline a word, phrase, or paragraph that has the most emotional pull for you as you read it now.

Ask these questions: How did it feel to do this writing today? Was there a free flow to it? Was there resistance? Did I feel relieved to do this writing, or was the experience unsettling or negative in some way? What one bit of wisdom can I glean from today’s writing? What outcome from this exercise am I most thankful for?

If there is some action you need to take, as indicated by this writing experience, make a note of it. If you can, plan how you will take action.

You can take this a step further and talk to God [Jesus, Holy Spirit] or Mary or your favorite saint about this experience.

If you feel so inclined, share with the DDF community a sentence or two about this experience—today’s or the retreat as a whole. Thank you for participating in our retreat.

Comments

I was able for the first time to participate in this writing retreat, perhaps because of the way it was set up, or the description of the topics? And, I thought about the subject matter and comments left by others, enriching my experience, so thank you to all.

A neighbour brought me the ingredients to make two different batches of soup on Monday, 10 quarts in all. As soup makers know, this entailed hours of preparing the broth, then more time spent chopping, simmering, stirring, and the inevitable kitchen clean up. The soup has been frozen by said neighbour into individual portions, not only for her own use, but to be apportioned out during the winter to those who fall ill with colds & flu. It’s become a tradition in our condo and I’m happy to take part.

It occurred to me as I spent the time in my kitchen that this activity brings me immense pleasure, even though I don’t always know who receives the “soupsicle”, and in fact there are some people who I don’t particularly like at all, prickly people, who have benefited from it in the past, unbeknownst to them I’d made it. It doesn’t matter, doesn’t diminish the experience because I do it for love of God and it becomes a time of prayer in the process. I think I’d have to say it’s about finding God in soup making, just as this week’s reflections were because I kept coming back to that question, where is God in this exercise reflection? Everywhere!

Today, I went for exercise 2. As I was reading the exercise, I felt to describe the lingering moment, which I would like to share with you.

But first I’d like to say I’m so grateful this retreat happened during the week I don’t have a morning shift. I look forward to these exercises with childlike anticipation. I don’t know what reaction I will have to the exercises, which one will grab my soul. When I wake up, I can’t wait to turn my laptop and check the assignment for the day. It’s like unwrapping a Christmas present. I like the tips to just do the work and write what comes to mind and go with the flow, not to worry about what comes.

I learned discipline from this retreat. I’ve always enjoyed writing but I haven’t taken time recently to nurturing my writing. This retreat taught me to appreciate what we are given, that it’s God’s gift and to thank Him for it as well as cultivate it. This retreat was heaven sent. I’m grateful for the time you invested to plan it and share it with us.

May the Lord bless you dear Vinita and continue to make you a blessing to many.

Souada

Lingering
This moment, lingering, savoring, and basking in the sunshine of your words. No worries or fears alarm me. Lingering here, your words caress my wounds and gently pour balm divine.
This moment with you under the dome, I heave a sigh. Without you, I’m nothing. But with you at my side, you are strength giver.
This moment, I treasure. I treasure this moment in my heart. Like a music box, I open it and it enchants me with its sublime music.
This moment lingering here, I don’t want to go. Where would I go for you are life and the breath of life! Lingering in this moment, you feed me. You sustain me. My heart is overwhelmed. I let out my cries and you lift the burden. You walk the path with me. You offer me your staff to lean on.
Lingering is discovery. Lingering is putting my weary head on your lap and you whisper to not let go. Your presence is all around. I savor the lingering. I savor the joy that you care for me and you never forsake me or leave.
Lingering, you take me to a land of laughter and happiness, noise filled gatherings with friends chattering around, aromas of food wafting through the air, poetry being recited freely, cascading like the Niagara falls, coffee brewing and the breeze blowing softly through the leaves, swaying to the gentle music.
Lingering, I feel awe and wonder. You are an everlasting presence in every soul I encounter, every smile that greets me, and every touch I feel.
Lingering, you tell me not to give up, to keep going, shining, sending light.
Lingering, I’m filled with warmth. I’m enlightened. Lingering, I will renew my strength. I will soar high like an eagle. I will not faint. Lingering is loving you. Lingering breaks through the darkest clouds and showers us with beams of light. Lingering touches the aching heart and blossoms hope through.
Lingering is my healing bench.

Vinita and all that wrote: Today is a rainy Saturday. I took the time to read everyone’s responses. I got a lump in my throat reading the beautiful and touching posts. And Mary, I pray as well for you and your husband.

I choose the first exercise today- I see that this could go on and on and on….. it was and is a wonderful experience. I felt like God was saying: “Yes, it is this and yes it is that also and even deeper.” This exercise showed me that like looking at an object (as we did on day one) one can also see a deeper meaning in an experience. I don’t mean just “meaning”, I mean it shows us how God is in it or how God is trying to speak to us.

Ironically, the exercise I did today was basically about how our hearts can be hardened or kept soft at a young age. I was reflecting on an experience I had with my 8th grade Faith Formation class-all girls this year!!!! I see these beautiful young women and I love their hearts and their hope and optimism. Having experienced in my life a near hardening of heart-Thank God that by experiencing God’s love I felt safe enough to unguardmy heart. Then, today I read all of the responses from the whole retreat and was so moved by them all. Thank you everyone. They were beautiful. As women we need to value and protect our women-hearts. I thought that everyone seemed to lay bare their hearts this week in this more anonymous setting. I wondered if we saw each other on the street-not knowing each other-would we put up walls as so many women seem to do today or would we greet each other with sincere smiles just because we are women and know that we have incredible hearts. Blessings to you all and thank you Vinita. This is a lot of time devoted.

This wasn’t just about writing of course. One of my favorite scriptures is “In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. I love words. I relate the scripture to this writing retreat and how we started with words, but it was much more.

I participated in this retreat because I so want to be able to communicate well. I write a weekly letter to the parents of my Faith Formation kids . I do have your book Vinita and started it and this retreat spurs me on to keep up in the book.